In the article on Collins in Birch's Dictionary, Birch notes that his “large and curious [library] was open to all men of letters, to whom he readily communicated all the lights and assistance in his power, and even furnished his antagonists with books to confute himself, and directed them how to give their arguments all the force of which they were capable” (Birch, quoted in Berman, 1975).

Fie upon thee! man needs should have some certain test set up to try his friends, some touchstone of their hearts, to know each friend whether he be true or false; all men should have two voices, one the voice of honesty, expediency's the other, so would honesty confute its knavish opposite, and then we could not be deceived.

But then, as if to confute the calumnies of the malevolent lady of Steinfeldt, with an air of sportive familiarity which was rather unwarranted by the time and place, he flirted on her beautiful forehead a drop or two of the moisture which remained on his own hand.

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"Nay, if thou talk of reason, then be mute:For with good reason I can thee confute.If they, which first by nature's sacred law,Do owe to me the tribute of their lives;If they to whom I always have been kind,And bountiful beyond comparison;If they, for whom I have undone myself,And brought my age unto this extreme want,Do now reject, condemn, despise, abhor me,What reason moveth thee to sorrow for me?"- anon., 'King Leir'.